Exposure-Based Techniques for Trauma Post-COVID-19: a Primer for School-Based Practitioners

COVID-19 has imposed physical, mental, and emotional isolation contributing to adverse mental health outcomes in children and adolescents. For school children struggling with trauma, the pandemic has both exacerbated existing symptoms and served as a source for trauma. Due to the increase in psychological distress, there has never been a higher need for evidence-based trauma treatment. Several trauma-based intervention programs in school psychological practice improve symptoms, strengthen psychological resilience, and improve school functioning. Nevertheless, some schools post-COVID-19 have adopted remote or hybrid service delivery that requires flexible interventions, and delivering a key trauma technique in these programs, exposure, and response prevention can be challenging. In this mini-review, we provide recommendations for school-based practitioners looking to conduct narrative and in vivo exposures to meet the demands of this in-person/virtual service delivery landscape. We emphasize the utility of exposure therapy for trauma, discuss modifications for implementing exposure-based techniques for trauma when working with clients remotely, and provide tips for collaborating with parents and teachers.